New Advances in Hair Transplantation: The use of FUE Beard Hair Grafts

By George Georgiou, Hair Transplant Consultant at HDC

Hair transplant techniques continue to evolve and have become more innovative with the objective of exploiting full donor capability to achieve maximum coverage, with minimal to zero visible scarring in the donor or recipient areas. Many patients today are well educated through the abundance of information available on the World Wide Web and request techniques that yield the most natural results with minimal scarring.

Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE was first performed almost 15 years ago and since then it is proven than it is the preferred method for hair transplant patients. The method involves direct extraction of the follicular unit from the scalp using a specialised punch of usually less than 1mm in diameter - making the incisions smaller and, as they heal, virtually undetectable. The same principle has been used to expand the traditional donor area of the scalp in obtaining hair grafts from different parts of the body.

In recent years, the use of beard hair has provided an excellent secondary donor source in hair transplant procedures. Using grafts harvested from facial hair is beneficial for those whose scalp donor area is depleted, either due to advanced hair loss or because of past procedures that have used up the scalp donor. Patients, who underwent unsuccessful procedures and have been left with visible scars on their donor area, can opt for using FUEbeard grafts to conceal these scars. Beard hair grows in single and 2 hair units and though it is coarser than average scalp hair, graft survival rate and yield is very high which makes it a valuable resource and addition to donor availability.

Immediately post op

Beard Donor area 4 days after

Most patients are concerned about scarring and this becomes an even greater concern if it is something that cannot be hidden as the area where the beard grafts will be taken is someone’s face. Luckily we have the results to prove that in the hands of an experienced hair transplant surgeon this is not the case and in fact the facial tissue bounces back and heals very quickly after the extraction. Within a few days there is no reminder of what took place under the chin or on the lower cheeks.

Immediately after beard hair extraction

2 months after the procedure

The use of beard hair has empowered our surgeons to be able to perform FUE mega session as the typical harvest at a first procedure of the combination of scalp and beard grafts is usually around 5000 over a two or three day procedure.

About HDC Hair Transplant Clinic:

A purpose built hair restoration centre where patient-care, surgical skill and proven results are unparalleled. HDC is a hair transplant clinic dedicated to providing permanent and natural solutions for men and women suffering from hair loss. With more than 10 years experience in both the FUE and FUT techniques, HDC has published a constant stream of successful results over the years, gaining worldwide recognition and respect from international hair loss web Discussion forums.

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